Mysterious Disappearances Taint the Chicago World’s Fair
Step into True Colors — a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime While attending the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, Winnifred Wylde believes she witnessed a woman being kidnapped. She tries to convince her father, an inspector with the Chicago police, to look into reports of mysterious disappearances around the … mysterious disappearances around the White City. Inspector Wylde tries to dismiss her claims as exaggeration of an overactive imagination, but he eventually concedes to letting her go undercover as secretary to the man in question–if she takes her pistol for protection and Jude Thorpe, a policeman, for bodyguard.
Will she be able to expose H. H. Holmes’s illicit activity, or will Winnifred become his next victim?
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Winnifred Wylde thinks that she has witnessed a kidnapping while attending the Chicago’s World Fair but the Chicago police inspector thinks that her report may be due to an overactive imagination. He is also her father and he knows just how much Winnifred enjoys reading those dime novels that are often filled with romance, adventure and mystery. Realizing that she won’t let her suspicions rest, Inspector Wylde assigns one of his detectives to shadow her and protect her. This is the beginning of an exciting and adventurous tale and a possible romance between Winnifred and Jude Thorpe as they work together to solve the mysterious disappearances that have occurred at the fair and eventually discover a serial killer responsible for all of this.
This book is labeled as fiction but the storyline features the historic Chicago World Fair and the real person believed to have been America’s first serial killer, H.H. Holmes. Author Grace Hitchcock successfully captures the atmosphere surrounding the Chicago World Fair in this story that begins in July 1893 and ends as the fair is closing in October. I felt the people’s joy of having such an important event and I could feel their anticipation when waiting to ride on the ferris wheel; I could also imagine their doubts and fears as the mysterious disappearances continued to occur.
This is Grace Hitchcock’s first full-lenth novel and she has created a story filled with adventure, intrigue and danger. It is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys suspense, historical fiction and Christian romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
I love mystery books and was very intrigued by this story. We all have heard about different notorious crimes that have been committed such as The Boston Strangler. This book is based on Dr. H.H. Holmes who was known as America’s first serial killer. I had never heard of him until I started this book. It is quite an interesting read and really takes you back to the late 1890s where the infamous serial killer made history. It is hard to believe that something so horrific happened that few people may be aware of.
Winnifred is a quirky character who is determined to prove to her father that something is happening to women in the city. I was surprised that her father let her become involved in a plot to catch the killer. She has a lot of confidence and I loved her strong willed attitude to stop whatever evil was going on.
Holmes from the beginning was a shady person. He made my skin crawl and I didn’t like the way he looked at women and the secretive life he had. Winnie starts working for him and that really puts her life in danger. Thank goodness her father had the good sense to hire Jude to protect her. At times, I don’t think he was such a great detective and was perhaps smitten by Winnie and didn’t fully concentrate on his job.
There is one chilling part in the story where Winnie noses around in the basement and almost gets caught. What is Holmes hiding down there? I could feel the darkness overtake her and the creepy feeling she got as she tried to find out answers. I loved how Winnifred took advantage of every opportunity to snoop around where she worked at. She could sense Holmes was up to no good and was willing to risk her safety to find out . I was on the edge of my seat as Winnifred encountered the person she has suspected of killing people. The details are chilling and I loved how the author brought the story to a shocking ending.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit and Barbour Publishing. The review is my own opinion.
interesting story, complex characters. lots of twists and turns, mystery and intrigue. Winifred must avoid becoming H.H. Holmes next victim. I enjoyed this book
This is my first book by this author, while it was rather slow in the beginning, it began to get interesting. Hitchcock has created some strong characters and it also has a bit of romance thrown in……The setting is the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. Winnifred Wylde believes she has witnessed a woman being kidnapped. right in open daylight at the World’s Fair. She tries to convince her father, an inspector with the Chicago police, to look into reports of mysterious disappearances around the White City. Her father tries to dismiss her claims as an overactive imagination, against his better judgement he agrees to letting her go undercover as secretary to a man in question. But only if Jude Thorpe, a policeman, follows along as her bodyguard. While Jude falls in love with spunky Winifred, her father will not allow courtship because he is a lowly policeman and he desires someone wealthy to marry her……there is much intrigue and danger in this novel as it is based on a true crime that happened in that era. I received this copy via netgalley and these words are my own.
I found The White City by Grace Hitchcock to be a refreshing, light read despite the serious crimes that occurred within its pages. Part mystery, part suspense, and part romance, the plot seemed equally driven between Winnifred’s quest for evidence and her love life. I would have liked more character development as Winnifred’s moments of immaturity annoyed me. Jude was my favorite character from his first ride with Winnifred on the Ferris wheel.
The book lover in me was delighted by Winnifred’s voracious acquisition of books and Percy’s secret occupation. There’s some serious book love by the characters in this story and the author uses it well to inject humor and endear the novel to book lovers.
One aspect for potential readers to consider is the quiet faith that Winnie holds to as she delves deeper into her investigation. At it’s strongest point, Winnie quotes Scripture to herself, but other than that, there is not much faith-based content, making it feel more like a clean read than an overtly Christian novel.
Bottom Line: I enjoyed The White City while I was reading it, but I’m not sure I would read it again. The novel is not a heart-pounding suspense thriller, but if you’re looking for a clean, entertaining story of mystery and romance, The White City might be the book for you.
The White City by Grace Hitchcock is the first novel in the True Colors series produced by Barbour Publishing.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.”
I had never before read a book by Grace Hitchcock, and I am please to say this will not be the last one I read by her. This book set in the Chicago Worlds Fair is a great historical detective novel, with a quirky main character that really pulls you in from the start.
I can not wait to read more from this author.
This is a good story that I enjoyed! I loved main characters Winnifred and Jude. Winnifred was so fun and delightfully spunky, and being an avid reader myself I could totally relate to her fabulous bookishness! And, Jude, well let’s just say that he is a hero who made me swoon more than once! I love the concept behind the True Colors series of books, blending history and story. Grace Hitchcock skillfully wove together fact and fiction to create an engaging story! This book has tons of great romantic moments that I just had to highlight on my Kindle!
I was expecting this book to be a suspense, and while there was a great action packed climax, I was disappointed that even though there was a mystery thread there was not really any suspense throughout the rest of the book.
Overall, while I would have liked more suspense, this is a very good story that I am glad I read! I recommend it and plan to read more of this author’s work in the future.
(4 Stars!)
I received an ebook copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit team. Which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.
THE WHITE CITY ….Grave Hitchcock
Winifred life for her in 1893 during the White City Fair. Her adventure comes with her father being a police inspector, not in the books she reads. To her aunt’s dismay she is not interested in suitors either. Though she does have
one and they share love of novels, the other one wants is adventure.
After putting herself in danger after seeing a woman being mishandled, to prove she was more than someone waiting on a suitor. to her father.
Interesting of that time period and these based on true crimes.
Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion by Net Galley and
Barbour .
I admit that before I read this book, I had no idea who H. H. Holmes was, but once I was introduced to the character, I had to go look him up and find out more. And that, to me, is what makes a great read.
Though a fictionalized version of America’s first serial killer, The White City, engages readers in the city of Chicago during the 1893 World’s Fair, both the fair and Holmes’s hotel are brought to life on the pages as Winnifred Wylde goes undercover.
Winnie’s father is a police inspector and when she reports a kidnapping, it’s not the first crime she’s brought to him. While he seems to brush her off, he also knows his daughter’s tenacity and assigns his new detective to watch over her.
Grace Hitchcock spins a tale of suspicion without revealing the details (and not as graphically as many of the reports I read online did) until the very end. Amidst the mystery, there are two suitors, an aunt determined Winnie will marry well, beloved books, and a second mystery for Detective Jude Thorpe.
If the rest of this series is as enjoyable as Hitchcock’s introduction (and I should add here her debut novel), readers are in for a treat.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
The White City is a debut novel by Grace Hitchcock and is first in the True Colors series of historical stories of American Crime and I can’t wait to read the next books in the series. The White City introduces readers to Winnifred, or Winnie to her friends, a plucky young woman who is an avid reader of mystery novels, and just wants to be taken seriously when it comes to investigating what she thinks may have been a crime. When handsome and heroic Detective Thorpe is assigned by Winnie’s father to be her bodyguard, the action begins and sparks fly. The author takes readers to the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 to begin Winnie’s journey into her undercover role to find a kidnapper and with an engaging writing style and witty dialogue readers are quickly drawn into the story. The story is a compelling read with just the right amount of suspense, character development, and romance (and there is a bit of tension in the romance with two possible love interests). The Author’s Note at the end was informative regarding the infamous criminal the story was based on and begs the reader to do more research about the man and his Murder Castle. Lovers of cozy mysteries based on true life won’t want to miss this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions are my own.
The White City, written by Grace Hitcock, was such a page turner! I’d always been interested in early Chicago’s World Fair and there’s a lot of interesting details that are revealed. The book characters, Winnie Wylde & Jude are just wonderful together. Winnie witnesses a woman being abducted at gunpoint at the World’s Fair & tries her best to get someone to listen to her & help this woman. Together with Jude, they show a lot of bravery as they follow a killer and try to prevent another disaster. This is during a time period when women were not out chasing killers & not really taken seriously on important matters, but Winnie knows she has to do something in spite of what her father (Inspector Wylde) says. If you like some romance, suspense, historical tidbits as well as true crime then this one is for you. All of these great elements are in this book. This was full of action, with descriptive moments at the World’s Fair, a lot of intrigue that kept me guessing. It was very enjoyable to read. I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. It is one of those books you have to talk about with others.
The White City is quite an interesting read. I have read about H H Holmes and it was fascinating to see him part of a story in a fictional book. I enjoyed the suspense and mystery that surrounds Winnifred Wylde. I had no problem reading this whole book in just a few hours.
I am giving The White City a well deserved five plus stars. I can not wait to find out where Grace Hitchcock’s imagination takes the reader in her next release.
My imagination was ignited right from chapter one. Drawn in with the colorful word imagery and witty dialogue and held captive by the vivacious characters, this is one book that you will want to read!
Winnifred loves to read the popular dime novels, yet sometimes her imagination gets ahead of her. She is nearly certain that she witness’s an abduction. However, her father, Inspector Wylde is reluctant to send out detectives on another one of her wild goose chases. Tasked with following her and keeping her safe, detective Jude Thorp becomes her personal bodyguard.
Jude Thorp harbors his own secrets and shadowing a pampered socialite isn’t what he had in mind when he moved to Chicago. However, he quickly finds out that Winnifred isn’t your typical socialite. She carries a pistol in her muff and she knows how to use it! Jude Thorp’s care and protection of Winnifred is one of my favorite things about this story! The slow-growing affection and Jude’s desire to have Winnifred’s father’s approval is quite endearing.
While Winnifred is trying to uncover the dastardly deeds of the notorious H. H. Holmes a tender, swoon-worthy romance is growing! There are many fun layers to this story, mysteries to solve along the way, and danger lurking in the most unlikely of shadows! I highly recommend this romantic, page-turning story to anyone who enjoys a delightful adventure with their romance!
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.)
I am really excited to jump into this series about true crimes from Historical America. The first book in the series is from Grace Hitchcock, and this is her debut novel. The story of The White City takes us to the world of the World’s Fair in Chicago. Deanna Guist has also done a series around the World’s Fair. It appears to be a popular time period to write about.
But this time around, the novel is a mystery, which I LOVE to read. The idea of a heroine following her instincts from reading way too many mysteries has been done a number of times, but I still enjoyed reading the novel. The plot kept me engrossed as I flipped through the pages. It didn’t take me long to finish the novel. I do like the idea of how the villain captured and eluded the police to get away with their crime.
The romance was predictable too. I had a good idea of who Winnie would fall in love with. It is pretty predictable for a strong heroine to fall in love with this type of hero. The romance didn’t sweep me off my feet either.
I did enjoy following Winnie as she put herself in danger in order to prove her worth to her father. I do enjoy how she liked to read A LOT. It does remind me of me. I read A LOT and don’t feel bad about doing it. It is a wonderful way to pass the time.
Overall, The White City is a different mystery that sparked my interest. The romance and characters were predictable, but I enjoyed hanging out with Winnie. I believe fans of historical mysteries like Jaime Jo Wright might enjoy this novel.
I received a complimentary copy of The White City by Grace Hitchcock from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.
I am a lover of true crime, historical fiction, suspense and romance. I mean a huge lover of all of them. So, when I saw that this was the best of all of those worlds, I was ecstatic. This is a debut novel from Grace Hitchcock and let me tell you what. The detail she includes in this story, made me feel like I was right there in the center of the World’s Fair, following these awesome characters, and reaching an ending that left me wanting another story just like it.
Winnie and Jude’s characters are wonderful! I loved them so good. The detail with which Hitchcock created the scenes that Winnie saw, and went through, and how Jude fell for her, was awesome. I felt like I became Winnie and fell for Jude instantly. Jude was a sweet soul and Winnie was absolutely full of spunk and sass!
The real life serial killer aspect woven into the story was incredible. I had no idea about that time period having someone like that, and it really made the story that much more captivating. The twists and turns of the roller coaster story, seeing Winnie going “undercover” to prove to her Police Chief father that she was right, was fantastic and had me reading this book and finishing it in a 24 hour period.
If you love historical novels, love the thrills of a great suspense story, and enjoy reading a God-filled romance book, then look no further than this 4 star debut. Ms. Hitchcock has extreme talent and is sure to be on the best sellers list before long! I sing the praises of this story loudly and can’t wait for the next book from this talented author, as well as another incredible installment in this new series from Barbour!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
The White City is a well-written romance, suspense, and mystery. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. (The title didn’t exactly grab me.) Having the different parts of the World’s Fair as part of the setting added a lot of interest to an already great fast-paced plot. Winnie and Jude are well-fleshed out, likable characters. The dialogue felt natural for the time period. I loved the romantic quotes at the beginning of each chapter and the Scripture that is very lightly sprinkled through the book in appropriate places in the story line. I would highly recommend this book. I received a copy from NetGalley. I chose to write a review and share my opinion of this excellent book.
What a wonderful debut novel! A fictionalized tale of H. H. Holmes, America’s first serial killer, is sure to grab your attention and not let go until you have finished the book. I loved the bookworm, Winnifred, who always had the latest Perceval Valentine novel read and almost memorized. These stories seemed to dictate many of her actions, to the point where she became the heroine in his latest writing. Her amatuer sleuthing found her in a number of dangerous situations, causing her bodyguard a great deal of stress. Would she even survive to prove she had been right all the time? An interesting opportunity to learn a bit more of what life was like in 1893 around the time of the Chicago World’s Fair.
I received this fabulous book through Barbour Publishing, Netgalley and CelebrateLit. These impressions and opinions are my own.
This is a historically inspired, clean, and wholesome romance that details the Chicago’s World Fair during the summer of 1893. Winnifred Wylde is the daughter of the police inspector and she adores romantic fiction novels, especially by Percival Valentine whom is beloved by many women based on his popularity. Since her mother died when Winifred was young, she was raised by her father and her Aunt Lillian who wanted her to be presented to the local society, much to Winnifred’s dismay. As it happened, she was visiting the Chicago’s World Fair when she witnessed a kidnapping that her father didn’t believe based on her adventurous history. So Winnifred sought to prove to her father and others that the kidnapping was a true happening.
So the adventure and mystery began! Her police protector was Jude whom she immediately was drawn to and he was faithful in following her when she began a new job to try to collect evidence to nab H. H. Holmes who was a famous serial killer and he was guilty of insurance fraud in many instances. She was a secretary who was limited in her secretarial skills but her curiosity found her very involved in trying to find evidence to convict Mr. H. H. Holmes. She was pursued by admirers that brought in some interesting conflicts.
It is a true pager turner and I didn’t want to put the book down!
It is a very good book and I found myself surprised that it is a debut novel for Grace Hitchcock.
I received a complimentary coy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obl9igation to post a review.
Great start to a new series “True Colors” and “Grace Hitchcock” debut novel. I was fascinated with the historical aspect and the romance was intertwined with the suspense. Winnifred had me talking to the book, telling her no don’t do that. This author showed great balance in this story and I found it to be an enjoyable and interesting read. Afterwards I was researching the infamous H. H. Holmes. The Author’s Note at the end was very enlightening and a great bonus. If you are a fan of Cozy Mysteries, Historical Romance, and/or Inspirational Reads then it will appeal to you. I look forward to reading more by this author and in this series.
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
I loved the decision the author made to place the very real serial killer, H.H. Holmes areal in this novel along with her fictional characters. Winnifred Wylde the daughter of Inspector Wylde with the Chicago police department is a truly delightful character. She’s high-spirited, brave and very amusing. It’ s pretty hard not to love a protagonist who is an avid reader, right? I loved Detective Jude Thorpe who has been assigned as Winnifred’s bodyguard by her father. Jude is the perfect hero, he’s cautious, intelligent, witty and quite handsome.
Winnifred really does need a bodyguard when she persuades her father to allow her to work undercover as a secretary to Holmes. I found the storyline not only interesting but very entertaining as well. There are several secondary characters who added fun elements especially, Percival a funny, kind and kind of a silly young man. It was refreshing to see Winnie have a social life and her interactions with other characters.
If anyone is expecting a detailed crime, gory detailed novel, this is not what this is. What it is, is a well written and impressive debut novel based on a real life killer with sweet and likeable fictional characters woven into the storyline. I absolutely loved this book which is why I highly recommend it. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Hitchcock.
I received a copy from the author and was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.